For many apartment hunters, the search for the perfect rental starts off fresh and exciting. But when an apartment search starts to take longer than you hoped, it can feel like a drag and you might get anxious that you won’t find a suitable place within your time constraints. It’s true there’s only so much you can do if none of the available rentals you’ve seen so far fit the bill. But there are two major considerations you should focus on before you start an apartment search that can help things move along more efficiently and get you to the perfect rental without unnecessary delay.

Follow these two tips to streamline your apartment search:

Tip #1: Search Within Your Means

Deciding to go apartment hunting requires a serious financial commitment. Most notably, there’s the rent you’ll need to pay each month in return for the right to occupy your apartment. But there are several other expenses, from security deposits to utility bill payments, that are due before you sign a lease, around lease signing, and during your lease term. These expenses shouldn’t come as a surprise as long as you know what to expect. So, before you go apartment hunting, take a moment to understand what expenses are involved down the road so you can make sure you’ll have enough money to afford the type of rental you choose to pursue. To help you, I put together an overview of the items apartment dwellers typically pay, organized by when each item is owed.